Chamisa seeks ouster of defiant party MPs

The MDC Alliance is moving to oust four legislators who attended Parliament business last week defying the party's directive for a boycott in support of the recall of lawmakers, it has been learnt.

The ouster comes as a recommendation from constituencies to rein in errant members.

Legislators that face the sack are Peter Moyo (Southerton), David Tekeshe (Makoni Central), Winnie Kankuni (Sunningdale) and Senator Morgan Femai (Harare).

The quartet led by Moyo and Femai last week made frantic efforts to meet the party's leader Nelson Chamisa to explain their reasons for attending Parliament business but Chamisa refused to meet them, sources told Business Times.

Fani Munengami MDC Alliance Harare province spokesperson said consultation meetings have ended in constituencies and members have recommended the "expulsion of all the MPs who attended Parliament contrary to the party's directive".

"The report has been submitted to the national executive council to study and make a decision on it,"

Munengami said, adding that the defiant MPs' fate had been sealed as constituencies members are now refusing to recognise and work with them.

MDC Alliance ordered its lawmakers to boycott Parliament in response to the recall of its four legislators— Charlton Hwende (Kuwadzana East), Prosper Mutseyami (Dangamvura), Thabitha Khumalo (MDC proportional representative) and Lillian Timveous (Midlands senator)—by the Thokozani Khupe led group following the Supreme Court ruling which restored the 2014 structures in Zimbabwe's biggest opposition political party.

The Supreme Court ruled last month that the Thokozani Khupe should lead MDC-T in an acting capacity pending the holding of an extraordinary congress within three months.

The Supreme Court ruled that Chamisa's appointment as a co-vice president by the late Morgan Tsvangirai was irregular and his ascendancy to lead the party after the death of the founder was flawed.

Chamisa contested the elections last year as leader of MDC Alliance and his party does not recognise Khupe and her political outfit as the MDC Alliance held its own congress in 2019 in Gweru to choose leaders.

The pending sacking of the lawmakers by MDC Alliance comes as Harare councillors have thrown their weight behind Chamisa.

"The recall has not been made to any sitting councillor but the councillors are standing with Chamisa and are not supporting Khupe and have since notified the MDC T leadership that they are MDC Alliance councillors," Munengami said.

Munengami said his party had not called for their councillors to withdraw from the Council chambers as was the case with legislators as Khupe had not found any support from the councillors.